The woman’s claim in October 2013 led to months of investigation and unease for residents in the Lexington County town near the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Police Chief Kevin Cornett announced the turn in the case in a press conference Thursday. He said officers were not able to find any evidence in the case.

Cornett said his investigators confronted the woman Thursday morning with their conclusion. He said she did not deny it but walked out of the interview, refusing to talk any more.

“We wanted to let the community know because they are the ones who lived in fear… this was the number one question at community meetings, the number one reason why we had an increase in questions on concealed weapons permits. We wanted to give the community some type of closure,” he told South Carolina Radio Network.

How his department will handle the case from here depends on the woman who made the claim, Cornett said.

“We’d love to know a motive,” Cornett said,”Before we put anybody in jail, we want to make sure we are helping them if they need help.”